1. Technical Field
This invention relates to electronic components and, more particularly, to a device for making electrical connection to a plurality of pins in a male connector.
2. Discussion
Electrical connections and cables are used in a variety of applications to transmit electrical signals from different sources to an equally wide variety of destinations. The cables generally include a plurality of individual wires which terminate at one end in either a male connector or a female connector. The male connector typically employs a series of pins which are housed in a generally cylindrical or rectangular shell that mate with sockets in the female connector.
It sometimes becomes necessary or desirable to obtain access to the electrical signals carried by each of the individual cable wires. For example, it may be desirable to detect the peak level of electromagnetic pulse induced stress on all of the pins. In the past, a complex array of passive and active instrumentation components was required to perform such tests. Much of the complexity is due to the fact that there is no convenient way to obtain access to the signals carried by the individual wires in the cable.
It is also envisioned that there exists a need to provide a relatively simple, yet reliable technique for easily coupling electrical circuits to the pins in such connectors. The electrical circuits could consist of active or passive electronic components, as well as more sophisticated microprocessors. Despite this need, it does not appear that the prior art has proposed an eloquently simple solution to the problem in the manner suggested by the present invention.